


Ursula's Tail

by ReginaNocis



Category: The Little Mermaid (1989)
Genre: Because I can, F/M, How Ursula Became EVIL, Not A Happy Ending, Triton's first name is Victor, Ursula Just Wants a Voice, Ursula needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-26 14:24:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18284090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaNocis/pseuds/ReginaNocis
Summary: (AKA Poor Unforunate Soul)Vanessa Syreni was raised to believe that she deserved power and wealth. She was independent and very vocal all through her life. When she met Victor Triton, she fell in love almost instantly. He promised her a world away from her horrible mother, and adventures like she couldn't believe. He turned her into a mermaid, and brought her back to his world. But it was nothing like she expected. From the moment she agreed to change her name to fit in with the people of Atlantica, Vanessa realized that she was in over her head.This is the story of how Ursula became the evil sea witch.





	Ursula's Tail

Vanessa Syreni grew up in a small village that bordered the sea. Her father died when she was far too young to remember him, and her mother raised her and her sister all on her own. She was cruel at times, unable to depart her wisdom without beating it into the girls. What she wanted more than anything was power and wealth, and she planned to use her daughters to receive it. Morgana Syreni wanted nothing more than to please her mother. Vanessa had a different goal. More than anything in the world, she wanted to find her true love and leave her life behind to be with him. She loved fairytales for that very reason.

Vanessa was never interested in politics, or any of the things her mother tried to teach her to turn her into the perfect bride. She couldn’t cook or sew to save her life. She had no interest in cleaning, and avoided the subject of children like the plague. In her own time, she would go into town to learn from the midwife who practiced medicine. She was taught how to mix ingredients to heal, and the right things to say and do to command the elements around her. She was very interested in making poultices and learning about the different herbs and roots, and how they could be used. She had to hide the fascination from her mother, who never would have approved. As it was, the midwife was usually referred to as a witch, even by Morgana.

Since her mother feared the water, as that was what had taken her husband, Vanessa spent much of her time on the shore. Even Morgana avoided the sea, too afraid to anger their mother to learn about the world around her. Vanessa would get as close to the water as she could without getting wet, and read her fairytales in peace. It was on that very shore that she met Triton when she was eighteen years old.

Her mother had been pushing her towards getting a job in a neighboring city, far from the ocean that she loved so much. On one such day, she ran down to the sea to be away from her nagging mother and sister. She ran directly into the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. His gleaming red hair was pulled away from his face, and he had a very handsome matching beard. He was muscular and tall, though he seemed clumsy on his feet. She hoped that he couldn’t see her embarrassment as she tried to straighten her wavy, black hair.

“I’m so sorry! I should have been paying more attention to where I was going,” she told him, taking a hasty step back as she blushed. He just smiled at her for a moment before replying calmly.

“No, it’s quite alright. I’m sure it’s just as much my fault. I’m not from around here, you see. You’re the first person I’ve met,” he replied. She couldn’t help but return his smile.

“And what an impression I’ve made. My name is Vanessa, and I’ve lived here my entire life,” she said softly. “May I ask where you’re from?”

“I doubt you’ve heard of it; it’s not an easy location to get to,” he answered vaguely. She frowned slightly, and he hurried to continue. “My name is Victor Triton. It’s lovely to meet you, Vanessa.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” she assured him. “I was on my way to the shore, to watch the waves. Would you like to join me? I would love to get to know you.”

“Of course. It would be my genuine pleasure to accompany you,” he told her, grinning.

Vanessa had never been shy. It wasn’t in her nature to be quiet or withdrawn; that had always been Morgana. However, with Victor, she found it hard to meet his intense gaze. She was much quieter than she usually would have been as she described her home and her family for him.

“My sister, Morgana, works as a seamstress in town. My mother has been trying to get me to move to the neighboring city, to meet a suitor and find work, but… I don’t want to leave this behind. I’ve always been drawn to the sea,” she finished after a while. She had never shared that with anyone, yet she found it easy to talk to Victor.

“My own mother wants me to find a bride and take over the family business, but if I am to marry, I want it to be someone who will make me happy. She was against my traveling, but my father approved. He gave me the means to see the world, and I’ve been enjoying myself. I’ll admit that until today, I’ve kept to the shadows. I’m not a fan of your neighboring city. If you’re so drawn to the sea, I recommend you avoid it,” he told her.

“You’ve said so little of your family,” she pointed out. “Tell me about your father?”

“I suppose you could call him a dignitary? He has a position of high power, and he’s got great influence over my home. He bends to no one, and has taught me to be the same. I’ve been learning from him since I was born, so that I might take his place when he retires. My mother spends most of her time on her own. She admires my father, but she’s from a different kingdom and doesn’t agree with the rules of my people,” Victor explained.

“Your father sounds very wise,” Vanessa smiled. “And your mother… well, she reminds me of my own. I think they really just want the best for us. They just don’t understand that we have different ideas of what is best.”

“I very much agree with that,” Victor replied. They spent another hour telling each other about their lives before they’d met, but Vanessa couldn’t put off going home forever. “Meet me here tomorrow. I want very badly to see you again.”

“I… alright, I will. Tomorrow I will see you here. I look forward to it,” she replied. She blushed as he kissed her hand. She turned back to look at him one last time as she neared the street, but he was already out of sight.

The next day, she found him as promised. He was facing the waves as she approached, but he turned to smile at her as she sat down beside him. She returned the smile, but couldn’t hide that she was upset. Her mother had lectured her at length and told her in no uncertain terms that she would be going to the city the very next day. She’d had to sneak out of her home to meet him.

“What’s wrong?” Victor asked with a frown. He’d immediately noticed her discomfort. “I thought you’d be pleased to see me.”

“No, I am! Never think that I’m not pleased to see you,” she assured him. “My mother… I am to leave for the city in the morning. I don’t think I will get to see you again.”

“Perhaps I can help with that,” he said quietly. He was frowning in thought, reaching up to play with the pendant she hadn’t noticed the previous day. It was a beautiful golden sea shell on black cord. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, and she loved it.

“I don’t think there’s anything you can do,” she told him sadly.

“I told you that I’m being pressured to marry,” he replied slowly. “Perhaps you could be my bride. I do enjoy spending time with you, and I think you could make me very happy.”

“You’re proposing to me after only knowing me for two days?” Vanessa asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. It was unheard of, and she’d read a lot of stories.

“I am. I know it seems crazy, but I think it can only be a good thing. You see, where I’m from, there’s an easy way to tell if a relationship is meant to be. We wear our hearts on our sleeves, in a manner of speaking,” he told her, his smile growing. “Have you ever heard of Atlantica?”

“The sea kingdom? It’s one of my favorite tales, yes. How does that pertain to anything you’ve just said?” she asked, thoroughly confused.

“What if I were to tell you that it’s not just a story? My father is the king of Atlantica. I am to be the next king. I’ve been using my father’s magic to visit the land and learn all that I can before I am confined to ruling the sea. My mother doesn’t approve; she thinks I should be spending my time finding a suitable wife to rule by my side. If I were to bring you home, they could never know that you’re from the surface world… but we could make it work. You would simply have to learn our culture before I introduce you,” he told her. He wasn’t looking at her anymore, completely lost in his thoughts. She couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief.

“You must think I’m a fool. I can’t believe you expect me to just go along with this insanity,” she said softly, tears stinging her eyes.

“Oh… no, of course, you need proof,” he said to himself. He stood quickly and made his way into the water. He looked over his shoulder at her expectantly. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Into the water with a madman?” she shot back, crossing her arms. His smile was not reassuring.

“Humor me. If I don’t make it worth your while, you’ll never have to see me again,” he promised. She hesitated only a moment longer before making her way slowly into the water. He led her out, only stopping when the water was nearly up to their shoulders. “This pendant gives me my legs. When I remove it, you’ll see my tail. If you were to choose to wear it yourself, it will give you a tail like mine. Our tails… well, I’ll explain the significance once you’ve made your choice. For now, watch.”

He removed the pendant slowly and held it out to her. She accepted it but didn’t put it on, choosing to watch his legs instead. They glowed a golden color as they transformed into the biggest fish’s tail she’d ever seen in her life. The man that she’d come to admire in just two short days truly was a merman. His scales shimmered in the water, a beautiful shade of gold that she had never seen before.

“That’s… this is amazing!” she gasped, her eyes wide. She couldn’t tear them away from his glittering tail, though she could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke.

“Thank you. If you wouldn’t mind, I would love to see what yours looks like,” he replied softly. “I’m sure you’re curious, as well.”

Vanessa didn’t hesitate this time. She fastened the pendant onto her neck and looked down at her legs to watch the transformation. It was much slower than his had been, since she had never had a tail before. The golden glow didn’t fade as her tail formed, each scale glimmering the same color as Victor’s. Her eyes widened as she realized that they matched, and she looked up to meet his happy gaze.

“Our tails are an important part of our heritage. We’re all born with blank slates, no matter what our status is. My golden color has nothing to do with my being a prince. My father and mother both have lovely shades of purple. Mine only turned gold a few years ago, when I began visiting the shore. My father told me that gold generally means generous and kind-hearted. As we grow and change, our tails change with us. And the easiest way to tell that a relationship is meant to be is that the color of our tails match. I knew that yours would match mine after just a day of knowing you. If you’re not adverse, I really would like to take you home with me. You would be the perfect bride for me,” he explained.

“You really want me? I’m nothing special…” she said softly, blushing in the fading light from her transformation.

“I truly do. You are everything I’ve ever imagined in a partner, Vanessa,” he told her. Then he frowned as something occurred to him. “But your name… I don’t mean to insult you, but our culture is quite different from yours. I have never met a mermaid with the name Vanessa. It may give us away.”

“What about… Ursula?” she asked, smiling as she remembered the name of the heroine from her favorite fairytale.

“Perfect!” he told her, grinning. “From now on, you will be known as Ursula, queen of Atlantica.”

“I’m not a queen yet,” she reminded him gently.

“And I am not yet king. But we will rule together. With you by my side, I feel that I can accomplish anything,” he replied. “Come, I’ll show you to your new home.”

The swim to Atlantica was long and difficult. Victor had to teach her how to swim with her new tail, and she found it as difficult as he assured her that learning to walk had been. He was incredibly patient, his smile never wavering as he led her along. As they swam, he described Atlantica to her at length. He told her about their traditions and rituals, including the courting ritual that he fully intended to ignore.

“I technically already started the courtship by giving you the pendant. Your acceptance of my gift signifies the beginning of our relationship by my people’s standards. From here, we would have chaperoned dates for a few months, and then I would present you to my parents for approval. For this to work, though… I’m going to present you to them tomorrow. I’ll give you a set of rooms that nobody visits for tonight, so that you can get used to being here. Then in the morning, I’ll send for you to come to my quarters. We’ll go to the throne room together, and I’ll tell them of my intention to marry you. My father will approve. He just wants me to be happy. And my mother doesn’t agree with most of our customs, but courting is one that she’s fond of. She won’t be happy, but she won’t fight my father. As long as we can pull off tomorrow, nobody will question where you came from or who you were before,” he explained.

“Wouldn’t I have to give you a gift, as well?” she asked shyly, smiling as she played with the pendant as she swam beside him. She had gotten the hang of it, but the beautiful creatures were still distracting to her.

“No, that really isn’t necessary. You’re agreement to join me in Atlantica is gift enough,” he assured her. She frowned.

“But if your father asks you, what will you tell him?” she pushed, not wanting to get him into trouble. “I don’t know much about courting, but I know that it should be equal. I don’t have many things, but I know what I want to give you.”

“And what is that?” Victor asked, genuine curiosity coloring his tone. She fiddled with an old ring on her thumb before taking it off and passing it to him carefully.

“It was my grandmother’s. My mother gave it to me when I turned sixteen. It’s one of the few times she’s ever been kind. She told me that it gave her luck as she grew up, and that she hoped it did the same for me. Now that I’ve found you, I don’t need luck any longer,” she told him with a small smile.

“Thank you. I know what tokens like that mean,” he replied just as softly. “I will treasure it always. Perhaps someday we will pass it on to our oldest child.”

“That’s my hope,” she nodded. She took his hand as they continued on, squeezing it in excitement when they swam over a hill and Atlantica came into view. She’d never seen anything so pretty in her life, and she couldn’t believe that she’d be spending her entire life living in this enchanted place. “This is your home?”

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” he assured her. He led her through what could only be considered underwater streets towards a glittering palace that loomed over the city. All of the buildings were golden like their tails. They didn’t pass a single person, and Vanessa was disappointed that she didn’t get to see more merpeople. She wanted to compare tails. He led her straight into the palace, immediately turning right to avoid any people who may have been looking for him. The corridor he took her down was abandoned, and so was the room that he showed her.

“I’m sorry that we have to be so secretive. I’ll send you a servant who will be yours from this moment on, as soon as I’ve spoken with my parents. They’ll be happy to know that I have no further interest in the land,” he told her quietly. “Stay here for tonight. I’ll find you tomorrow, and the rest of our life together will begin.”

“Victor, wait… are you sure this will work out? You’re sure this is what you want?” she asked, grabbing his hand as he turned to swim away. He smiled at her over his shoulder reassuringly.

“I’m very sure. You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” he shot back. She could tell from his tone that he was joking, though.

“No, never,” she replied, returning his smile. He squeezed her hand once before swimming away. She closed the door behind him and settled in to wait.

 

An hour later, someone knocked on the door. She swam over and pulled it open, hoping it would be the maid that Victor had promised. The mermaid in front of her was clearly _not_ a servant. She didn’t need to be wearing the golden crown in her red hair for that to be obvious. Vanessa swam backwards quickly, her head dropping in respect.

“So, you’re the one he spoke of. Ursula, was it?” the queen asked, her voice not at all kind like Victor’s had been. “He told us he would introduce us in the morning, but I find I don’t have patience for women who think they can fool my son.”

“Your highness, I would never-“ Vanessa began, but the queen cut her off.

“Don’t you dare address me. You will speak only when asked a direct question. Do you understand?” the queen spat. Vanessa nodded silently, tears gathering in her eyes. “Good. Now, I don’t know what lies you’ve fed him, but you’ve got him fooled. He really believes he’s found the one he’s meant to be with. I see you for what you really are. I’m willing to bet that you didn’t even tell him your true name. Where do you come from?”

“I… I don’t really have a home,” Vanessa said quietly, knowing better than to admit that he’d brought her from the surface world.

“Right, I should have known. Well, I can tell you with certainty that you shouldn’t count on having a home here. This is not the place for a wench like you,” the queen sneered. “When he comes for you in the morning, you would do best to tell him that you’ve had a change of heart. Or better yet, you should not be in this palace at all. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll disappear in the night and never set foot here again.”

“Your highness, begging your pardon, but that’s not for you to say,” Vanessa told her, raising her head to meet the queen’s eyes. Tears still clouded her vision, but it was in anger now. She’d been told her whole life that she wasn’t good enough, but this was the first time someone had said it to her without letting her speak at all. Queen or not, Vanessa was not about to let that go on.

“How dare you!” the queen snapped, raising her hand to strike Vanessa’s cheek. Vanessa caught it, surprising both of them at the same time. She didn’t let her surprise show for long. She held the queen’s wrist tightly as she spoke, hoping to only have to make her point once.

“Victor likes me for who I am. You don’t know me, so I will excuse your rudeness. Your son knows what he wants, and nobody will hold him back from it. If he had decided he didn’t want me, I would have let him swim away without another word. As it is, we are to be married. We will be happy for the rest of our lives, and you will not prevent that. As I understand it, your husband would be displeased to find out that you came to chase me out. Shall we both agree to pretend that this never happened? Do not threaten me again, and I will never speak of what was said in this room,” she said quietly, her voice steady through her anger.

“You will never be a queen. A queen is quiet and acts when the fate of her people depend on it. You are selfish and spoiled, and this will all crumble at your feet. I don’t need to do anything to ensure that, I can see it now,” the queen spat, wrenching her wrist away. She turn and swam from the room without another word, leaving Vanessa alone once more to process what had happened.

 

By the time Victor arrived in the morning, Vanessa was poised and perfectly put together. She had noticed through the night that her tail had darkened in shade. It was still golden, but it was much darker than it had been when it had first transformed. Victor didn’t seem to notice as he took her hand and led her from the room towards their future.

“Are you ready to meet my parents?” he asked, smiling excitedly. She knew that she had to keep her promise, since it would mean that his mother would not interfere in their happiness, so she simply nodded. “My father seems genuinely excited to meet the woman who has captured my heart.”

“And your mother?” The question slipped from her before she could stop it, and she blushed as she wished she could take it back.

“She’s disappointed, I think, that she didn’t get to choose my bride herself. She had a few girls in mind, and she kept hinting that I would be happier with one of them,” he replied, shrugging. He didn’t seem to be bothered by his mother’s lack of enthusiasm, and she chose to see that as a good sign. “Now, don’t forget, when the ask for your name, you must always use Ursula. Your true name would give us both away.”

“I won’t forget. I’m ready to become Ursula, queen of Atlantica,” she replied with a smile. His answering smile boosted her confidence enough to have her head held high when he opened the door to the throne room.

It was a large room, and guards lined the walls leading towards three ornate thrones against the far wall. The left throne was empty, clearly meant for Victor. The middle throne held an older merman, with long, grey hair and an impressive beard. To his right sat the queen. Her hair was pinned up under her crown that morning, and she was not smiling. She wasn’t quite glaring, which was an improvement in Vanessa’s opinion.

“Father, Mother, I would like to present my betrothed. This is Ursula Syreni, the beautiful woman who has captured my heart,” Victor announced, grinning as he gripped her hand. The only sign that he was nervous was that he was holding her hand tightly enough to hurt. She smiled, bowing her head in respect to the king and queen as she waited for them to speak.

“Welcome, child! I’m so happy to meet the woman my son wants to spend the rest of his life with. You may call me Atlan, of course. And this is my wife, Malary. I’m sure you’ll have many questions for us, and we certainly have many for the two of you,” Atlan responded as soon as Victor finished speaking. “But first… Sebastian!”

Victor squeezed her hand and gave a barely-there gesture towards a door to the side that she hadn’t previously noticed. A small, red crab entered through the door, his legs scuttling quickly towards the king. “Yes, your majesty?” he asked, his voice surprisingly deep with an accent that amazed Vanessa.

“Tell Cerian that we will have an extra mouth to feed from now on. When she prepares lunch, have her set a place beside Victor for his betrothed. And have her bring tea to the dining hall in half an hour, so that we might sit to continue our discussion,” Atlan ordered. He sounded every bit a king, and Vanessa found herself feeling very small. She didn’t like it.

“Of course, your majesty!” Sebastian saluted the king with one of his claws before scuttling off back towards the door that he had come from. The king turned back to them as though he’d never looked away, his kind smile returning. The queen still had not spoken, and it made Vanessa uneasy.

“Now then, how did the two of you meet?” Atlan asked, clasping his hands together in his lap as he leaned towards them eagerly.

“Well, as you know, I’ve been exploring quite a bit recently. I ran into Ursula, quite literally, on my way back from one of my journeys. We spoke at length, and I found myself returning to where I’d found her nearly every day. After a while, I couldn’t pretend that I didn’t love her. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else,” Victor told his parents, squeezing her hand in warning as she opened her mouth to add to his story. The queen saw the action and smirked at Vanessa as if her point was proven.

“Wonderful! I knew you would find what you were looking for!” the kind exclaimed happily. “And she’s beautiful, son. She’ll make a lovely queen.”

“Thank you,” Vanessa said softly, earning an odd look from the king and another hand squeeze from Victor. She knew she had to be missing something, but she wasn’t sure what. The queen was still smirking at her, and she still hadn’t spoken. Something was very wrong. “I look forward to learning more about your kingdom, and your family.”

“She’s got quite a mouth on her… we’ll have to get her into lessons, to correct that. Malary would be willing to give her tips, I’m sure. Now then, about the wedding… I was thinking it might be a good idea to invite all of the people. They’ve been uneasy, what with the trident nearly being stolen last month. A wedding might do them some good,” the king went on almost as though Vanessa hadn’t even spoken. Neither man noticed her frown or the queen’s smirk growing larger. Vanessa glared at her, then lowered her eyes and kept her mouth closed for the rest of the morning. As soon as she was alone with Victor, she faced him angrily.

“What was that?” she demanded, angry tears clouding her vision once more.

“What was what? My father approved whole-heartedly!” Victor protested. He was clearly confused by her outburst. “He may be right about the lessons, too. My mother can teach you our culture much better than I ever could.”

“I understand why she hates it!” Vanessa spat. “I thought that it would be different here. I thought you said that with me by your side, we could do anything! I’m nothing more than your trophy!”

“That’s hardly true,” he protested. “It’s just that… women have always been seen, not heard. My mother is the perfect example. Though she didn’t grow up in Atlantica, she fits in perfectly. She gives my father council behind closed doors, but to the public, she is strong and silent. Just as a queen should be.”

“Seen and not heard?” Vanessa nearly shouted. “Even in my small town, that hasn’t been true for decades! Our opinions should be just as valued, Victor. If you don’t want me to speak, why don’t you just take my voice along with my legs?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We don’t have that kind of magic here,” he told her with a scowl. “You’re overreacting, Ursula. And your anger is unattractive.”

“Oh, that’s right. I’m to be seen, and that means I’m to be beautiful, does it not? Well, what would happen if we were to remove the pendant? One small mistake, and our lives are ruined! I doubt your people would find my legs beautiful,” she snapped. She spun around and swam away from him. She left the palace in her anger, wanting to be alone. She didn’t stop until she could no longer see Atlantica, and that’s when the tears came.

“Poor child… why do you cry?” an eerie voice called from behind her.

“Silly girl, you’re much too powerful to allow others to push you around,” a second voice joined in.

“We watched you,” the first voice spoke once more.

“On the surface, with your potions and your magic,” the second one added.

“The water makes you stronger. The magic of your pendant will strengthen you,” the first one told her.

“All you need is the trident, and you can live down here without any fear,” the second whispered. She spun around, but could see nobody. “We could help you.”

“We _want_ to help you,” the first added. Slowly, two shapes approached from the shadows. They were young eels, but their eyes were odd. Each had a single yellow eye. She had to wonder if they were each blind in one eye.

“Why should I trust you?” she asked softly. She didn’t move away as they approached, too interested in what they had to say.

“What have you got to lose?” the first asked.

“You’ve already lost so much. They will never take you back on the surface,” the second told her.

“And Triton will never accept you as you are down here,” the first smirked.

“You’re alone, like us. We don’t have to be alone,” the second finished.

“All I need is the trident?” Vanessa clarified. “And I can have this tail forever?” The eels nodded in unison, horrifying smiles etching across their faces. Vanessa found it reassuring in an odd way. “Alright. And where do I find this trident?”

“The king hides it in his chambers,” the first eel told her. “He only takes it out for special occasions. Your wedding to his son would be one such occasion.”

“If you can fool them long enough to get to the wedding, you can take the trident and make your tail permanent,” the second added. “It will be easy. And then you can rule Atlantica.”

I just wanted to belong somewhere. Now that I can’t have that, I want what my mother has always wanted for me; power and wealth. I’ll make her proud of me yet. Once I’ve stolen the trident, I can bring Morgana down here to rule by my side. Mother will be proud of us both, and we can both be away from her,” Vanessa decided. “What can I call you?”

“I am Flotsam,” the first eel told her.

“And my name is Jetsam,” the second added.

“Well, Flotsam and Jetsam, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. How will I find you when the time is right?” she asked with a small smile.

“Simply call our names and we will come. We see all,” Flotsam told her.

“We know all,” Jetsam added. “And we will come.”

 

Vanessa returned to the palace shortly after she spoke with the eels, feeling confident with her new plan. She hadn’t even noticed that her tail had darkened further until she was back in the room that Victor had given her. The scales were hardly golden at all anymore, not that she really cared. The eels had told her that the pendant held magic much better than what she’d been taught on land, and she intended to use that to her advantage. 

She held the pendant in her hand and concentrated on it, closing her eyes to picture what she wanted. She felt the shell grow warm in her hand, and when she opened her eyes she knew that her new friends were right. Her tail was as bright as it had been when she first transformed, though she knew it was just an illusion. She only had to hold it until her wedding day.

"Victor... may I speak with you?" she asked softly, staying back so as not to bother him if he wanted her to leave. He turned to face her with a frown, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. She almost called off her plan... almost. The memory of being ignored and 'put in her place' was still too fresh.

"I don't know. Do you intend to yell at me again?" he asked, still frowning at her. She shook her head silently, trying to make herself seem small. It must have worked, because he patted the stone beside him for her to join him. "I suppose we really should talk. I should have given you some warning of what to expect from him. I'm sorry for that."

"Honestly, I was more upset that you kept stopping me from speaking. I'm not used to being silent, you know," she told him. "Even my mother listened to my opinions before deciding they weren't good enough. You and your father pretended I never even spoke, then acted as though I wasn't even present when discussing setting up lessons for me. It was unsettling."

"If it bothers you so much, perhaps I can make sure that things will be different after we're wed. If you can make it until then, I promise things will be different. You'll be allowed to speak, and I will listen to what you have to say. I just need you to keep quiet until then. Does that sound alright to you?" he asked. She held in what she wanted to say, and simply nodded. Things would be different, that was for sure. It just wouldn't be whatever he was imagining. She had no intention of ever being ignored again. She would make them all see that she mattered. She was more than just a pretty face. "I'm glad we got that settled. Oh, and I almost forgot! My mother wanted to speak with you after tea, but you disappeared. I believe you'll find her in the library."

Vanessa really wasn't looking forward to whatever Malary wanted to speak with her about, but she'd given her word that she wouldn't speak of the night before so long as Malary held her own tongue. She understood why that had amused Malary so much now. She wondered how the queen could be okay with the silence as she swam to the library behind an uneasy Sebastian. She'd seemed far too proud to hold her tongue for the rest of her life. She certainly hadn't had a problem with speaking her mind to Vanessa. Malary didn't even look up as Vanessa entered, though the small smirk that was still present in her expression betrayed the fact that she knew she was there.

"Oh good, you've arrived. Join me, darling. We've got a lot of things to cover in just a few days time," Malary told her, gesturing to the seat across from her. She still hadn't looked up. "I trust that Victor has told you when the wedding is to be?"

"I was unaware that it had been decided," Vanessa admitted. Malary chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. 

"I'm not surprised. Men don't really care what we think, do they?" she didn't wait for an answer before she continued. "I still don't like you. Don't mistake my empathy for friendship. However, as someone who grew up in a confident family, I recognize the struggle in staying silent in the presence of others. I can promise that it gets easier. And you'll be allowed to speak in settings such as this. Victor should allow it in your chambers, as well. Atlan taught him well."

"I wasn't aware that speech was a privilege," Vanessa snapped, her annoyance rising. Malary shot her an amused look, meeting her eyes for the first time. "Where I'm from, women's opinions are just as valued as men's. I didn't know that there were such backwards beliefs anywhere in the world."

"Let's not pretend. You may have fooled Atlan, but you will never fool me. I know that your name is not Ursula, just as I know that you are not from the sea. And I know this because I grew up on the land as well. It was a culture shock for me, as well. Atlan taught me very little before presenting me to his father. I believe it's a tradition, you see. His mother was also from the surface. And no matter how I tried in the beginning, she never once spoke to me. Coraelius was very proud of her," Malary stated calmly. "My name was Meredith, before I joined Atlan here. What was yours?"

"Vanessa," she replied softly, almost too quietly to be heard. Malary offered her the first real smile she'd received since she'd arrived. 

"It's lovely to truly meet you, Vanessa. And this will be the last time that name will  _ever_ be spoken. Is that understood? While it is a tradition for the royal family, the people of Atlantica have no idea. They fear the surface," she told Vanessa. 

"Why on earth would they fear the surface?" Vanessa asked in confusion. 

"Don't you fear what you have no knowledge of? The people do not have magic. Atlan's trident is the only thing that can grant the ability to travel on land, and he limits that to himself and our son. It is forbidden for anyone outside of the royal bloodline to walk on the surface world. It is the one rule that I agree with fully," Malary explained. 

"And why is that?" Vanessa asked, though she thought she might know the answer. It made sense, in a way.

"If the humans knew we existed, we would never have peace. There would be wars, and fear would spread like a plague. You know how they are; you grew up with them. How did they treat anyone they deemed as too different?" Malary replied steadily.

"They called her a witch. When I left, there was discussion of burning her, though I can't imagine they went through with it," Vanessa replied. "My sister, Morgana, agreed with them. I was learning from her, though. I couldn't understand why different was such a bad thing."

"And that's why you're here instead of being burned with her. You liked what you learned, and you sought more knowledge. It led you to Victor, who brought you to your destiny. Though we may never agree on many things, I think we can agree that people like us belong down here, don't you think?" she asked with a small smile. "This place continues to amaze me each day."

"In good ways or bad?" Vanessa grumbled, smoothing her hair back as the water carried it forward. There were many things she was still adjusting to, and her hair in the water was one of them. "Because as beautiful as this place is, I don't think I could get used to not having a voice."

"I promise it gets better. And who knows, maybe you'll be the one to change things around here," Malary said softly. 

 

After her talk with Malary, Vanessa spent most of her time in her room. She practiced her skills with ingredients that the eels brought her, creating potions that she'd never dreamed were possible with the help of the pendant. Each time she created something new, her tail darkened. By the morning of her wedding day, her tail was nearly black. As she styled her hair in the traditional way that Malary had taught her, she cast the illusion spell on her tail with barely a thought. She peered into the mirror at her pristine reflection and smiled to herself.  _Today,_ she thought,  _I will have everything I've wanted._

Malary knocked on her door just before noon, carrying the bouquet of coral that Vanessa would be holding as she married the prince and became a queen. She took a deep breath and followed the current queen to her destiny. The hall was decorated with colorful coral and flowers from the surface that she had never expected to see again. Victor was waiting at the alter, his smile as radiant as his golden tail. Atlan approached from the back, his trident in his hand as he smiled at Vanessa as well. Or maybe he was smiling at his own wife, it wasn't clear. Malary squeezed her arm in solidarity that Vanessa hadn't expected before joining her husband. 

Malary had described the wedding in detail. There would be the exchange of vows, in which Vanessa would become Ursula forever more. Atlan would present them as married once they'd finished, and he would hand his son the trident as a symbol of power. And because married couples were supposed to be unified, Victor would hand the trident to Vanessa to hold until he was crowned king. Her plan was simple; as soon as she was handed the trident, she would use it to make her tail permanent. She had no intention of handing it back to Victor, of course. She wouldn't be giving up the power that came with it. 

"We are gathered today to witness the union of my son and his betrothed. Victor and Ursula have known each other for a short time, but they are clearly meant for each other. Just look at their tails!" the king began. "It is my great pleasure to join them together and pass on my legacy. And now, with no objections, I will allow my son to give his vows to his betrothed."

"Thank you, father," Victor started. He met Vanessa's eyes with a smile, taking her hands in his own to address her fully. "Ursula, though we only met a few weeks ago, I feel I have known you all my life. I can't imagine anyone else by my side as I rule this kingdom as my father has before me. I promise to love you with everything in me, and to give you everything you could ever want. I promise to respect you, and to honor you every day. Under this sea, I do swear."

"And now, of course, Ursula may give her vows to my son," the king announced, as if giving her permission to speak was the greatest gift he could give. She made sure that her smile didn't waver as she met Victor's eyes once more.

"Victor, I know that we have both made many promises over the days. I know that many things were said, both good and bad. A union means equality, of course, and I intend to give you just that. I promise to give you council when you need it. I promise to be here for you when you need me, even when you don't know that you need me. I promise to do all that I can to make sure that our rule is effective and just. I promise to love you, no matter what," she told him. She didn't know how people would take her vows, but she had practiced them to make sure that they didn't sound horrible. She was certain it wouldn't give away her plan. She did see Malary's concerned look out of the corner of her eyes, but she ignored it.

"With all of the joy in my heart, I bless this union. I now pronounce you husband and wife," the king stated. He passed the trident to Victor and shook his free hand, smiling to the crowd. And without hesitation, Victor handed the trident to the newly pronounced Ursula. 

Ursula looked down at the trident for a few moments before she did anything else. It didn't seem powerful, but she could feel the magic of the sea imbedded into it. She smiled to herself as she raised it, casting sudden darkness over the room as she rose. She didn't immediately give herself a tail as she'd planned. Instead, she pointed the trident at King Atlan and her new husband. She could see Malary behind them, her eyes wide in shock. She made no move to interfere.

"The time of kings is over," Ursula announced. "Men do not deserve to have the only voice. Women such as myself are just as valuable. How dare you try to silence me! I will not sit idly in the background while you rule with an iron fist."

"Ursula, you don't know what you're talking about," Victor told her warily. 

"Don't I? Aren't you the one who told me that I'm to be silent in public? Your people don't value the opinions of those they view as beneath them. Because I am a woman, I am seen as unworthy of a voice! I am so very tired of being told to be quiet! I am not just a pretty face to sit beside you and be seen! I am a  _queen."_

"Ursula, stop," Malary called, swimming forward. It was the first time that Ursula had ever heard her speak outside of the privacy of the library or her room. "We are much more than just pretty faces, you're right. But this is not the way to change it!"  She'd never seen the queen so angry, and it nearly stopped her. Malary had become the closest thing to a friend she had under the sea, but she couldn't let herself be stopped. She'd come too far. 

"Of all people who would stand in my way, I never imagined it would be you. I'm happy to see you using your voice, but this isn't what I had in mind. We could rule this place, you know. The two of us, with all of our ideas... we would be the perfect team to impose the changes that need to be made. We would be heard! Isn't that what you've been wanting?" Ursula shot back, arching an eyebrow. Malary shook her head.

"Not like this," she repeated. "Fear and violence are not the way to get what you want. That trident can only do so much, and the rest has to come from bravery and honor. In my time here, I have learned that. If you give the trident back to Victor, we can forget this ever happened. You've got so much to learn."

"I've learned everything you can teach me. You are either with me or against me," Ursula told her. Then she turned to address the scared faces of the crowd. She was pleased to see that many of the women were watching her with awe. "The same goes for all of you. You are with me or against me. If you choose to fight, you won't enjoy the consequences."

She aimed the trident at her tail and dropped the illusion that she'd been holding. Her tail was still glittering, but it was completely black now. Every few moments, a swirl of purple would appear at the very tip before fading again. "With the power of the trident, I make my place here permanent!" She knew that nearly everyone would assume that she meant her rule of Atlantica. Only two people would understand the significance of what she was doing. As a beam of light shot from the trident and hit her tail, Malary darted forward and tried to pull it from her hands. The beam of light hit seconds after Malary touched the trident, and agony shot through Ursula. In her pain, she released the trident.

Golden light illuminated the hall, blinding anyone who was watching Ursula's tail. She could feel nothing but pain as the transformation began, and it took her a moment too long to realize that something was very wrong. She no longer had a tail. She also did not have her legs. In their place, she had eight new appendages that she could only call tentacles, sprouting from her waist. She looked like a very large octopus. She looked down at her hands and was horrified to see that her skin had turned a light shade of gray. Her eyes were wide with horror as she looked over at her new husband. He was watching her in revulsion, the trident in his hands and aimed at her threateningly. She could see Atlan behind him, cradling the body of his wife. Malary's eyes were open in unseeing horror. Nobody would ever hear her voice again. 

"Ursula, I banish you from this place. You are never to enter the city of Atlantica again, on the pain of death. Allowing you to leave with your life is a mercy. Don't make me regret it," he told her, his angry gaze steady. As she watched, the golden color seemed to drain from his tail. As she turned to leave as quickly as she could, the color had reached a deep, sorrowful shade of blue.

She swam in the same direction as she had when she'd run away the last time. She didn't stop until she reached the rocky bottom of a chasm that she'd never seen before. There, she found a large cave that was sheltered from the light. No guards who would be searching for her would bother to look here. She drifted to the bottom of the cave, wrapping her arms around herself as she cried. She had never meant to hurt anyone, not truly. She just wanted to be heard. Malary had gotten in the way of her goal. She'd deserved what she'd gotten! Still, Ursula mourned the death of the queen. Malary had been the only person in the sea who had understood what she'd been going through. She couldn't bear the thought that her death was  _her_ fault. No, this was all the fault of the king and his son. Atlan and Victor were at fault, not Ursula.

Her thoughts drifted to revenge. They had turned her into a killer, a true witch. They had made her become something she had always sworn she would never be. All she had wanted was a voice. As they had taken that from her, she would ensure that it would also be taken from them. That decided, she straightened herself and called for her eels, the only friends she had left. She would use their help in achieving her goal. Somehow, she would get that trident. She was the rightful queen, and she would bring about the changes that Atlantica needed.


End file.
